The location is the best thing about this hotel, it is right next to the pier, & a few blocks to the promanade, and the mall.
The hotel is alongside the freeway so if you get a "Partial Ocean View" room you are right over the freeway, making for a noisy room. You have to remember it is a Holiday Inn so the rooms are not special, they are a bit dated, but they are clean. The hotel has secure parking at $23.00 a night.

Having stayed in the vicinity of Universal Studios initially for 3 days of our trip, we moved to Santa Monica, popped in to see if they had a family room at 10 am and were so happy to be allowed to check in early, have our car valet parked and be able to walk to the beach and shopping centres.

The room had 2 double beds which was adequate for our party, the rate was very reasonable compared to what we had paid in North Hollywood and it was ideally located.

The hotel had a great Gym and pool, the restaurant was popular although we did not have any meals there. The bar was pleasant and the staff were so friendly and professional. I wished we had stayed here for the 4 days we took to visit LA! It is so much closer to the airport and one can get to Santa Monica from LAX without having to use the Interstate (scary if you are not used to it!)

It was a very pleasant choise at holiday inn santa monica. Confortable, clean, and the staff were wonderfull with us.

Well, what can I say... like a lot of hotel websites, theirs promises a bit more than it actually delivered.

Was quite shocked about how small the property was, compared to the photos on their website. The foyer was truly quite depressing (after a 14 hour flight to get there!). Checkin was efficient, the lifts slow, jerky and smelled terrible.

You have two choices of room - overlooking a major freeway & constrution site (with associated noise) or overlooking another construction site by itself (with associated noise). You can see the beach in the distance, but the construction really takes away from the beach views.

The rooms were ok, but the aircoditioning unit very old and loud, and the bathroom was literally crumbling in the corners - I have had better water pressure in London hotels ! Windows couldnt be opened which was quite annoying.

The staff were very 'hit and miss'. One concierge was really helpful and knowledgeable, the other one couldnt even tell us how to get a bus to Rodeo Drive! Some front desk staff were great, others ordinary. There was no consistency.

Although the location near the Pier was great, lots of homeless people bothering you right outside the hotel. Something we weren't used to.

Didnt eat there, as we never saw any people in the restaurant (and there are so many nice places to eat in the area).

Personally, if I were to stay in the area again, I would be more inclined to try the lower cost hotels right on the beach (ocean ave).

Averaging about $300 a night - this place really was a rip off - was really disappointed. Again it's a case of buyer beware when it comes to hotels' websites.